Refrigerated display case



Oct. 13, 1942. J. R. CAULK, JR., ETAL 2,298,526

REFRIGERA TED DISPLAY CASE Filed Nov. 28, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l J. R.CAULK, JR., ETAL REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed Nov. 28 1941 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I v l u I r k 7 6 fl rill 7'1 5 lfllflllllffll Illa!!!II!!! rllllllfrfllfill n If r! 7111/ rill l l/ 0/) I Oct. 13, 1942'.

| I I I I I I I I I I I I I Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED I STATESPATENT OFFICE REFRIGEBAfiS IZMY flASE John R. Caulk, In, Lod e, andRussell E. Davis,

St. Louis, Mo SIIIIIIOI'I to Humanonic:- compzlnly, St. Louis, Mo., acorporation of Application November as, 1941, sci-m No. 420,798

3 Claims. (01. oz-aas) Our invention relates to refrigerated displaycases, particularly those of the so-called open type, where themerchandise is exposed in an open bin which is continuouslyrefrigerated.

The invention has for its principal objects to provide an efllcient,simple and compact cooling refrigerating system for display cases ofthis type.

I slope downwardly from the cover 4 to a point Just above the level ofthe top of the glass wall 9.

. Fluorescent or other lights II are arranged at The invention consistsprincipally in a refrigerated display case of this type wherein thecooled air is propelled upwardly through a refrigerating flue and isdischarged above the level of the merchandise, over which it flows to areturn duct;

where it is again passed through the refrigerating and merchandisecooling cycle. The invention further consists in the refrigerateddisplay case and in the refrigerating method, in the steps and in theparts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter describedand claimed. In the accompanying drawings, s Fig. 1 is a top plan viewof a refrigerated display case embodying our invention, a portion of thetop of the case being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, on anenlarged scale on the line 33 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5--5 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6-8 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale,

of a deflector for deflecting and baflling the cur- I rent of air on itsway to the cooling flue,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of said deflector,

Fig. 9 is'a side or end elevation thereof,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the front air battle in the path of thereturn airon its way from the intake duct to the fan; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the supporting members for thebottom of the merchandise bin. 4

The refrigerated display case has a base I, a

low front .wall 2, a high back wall 3, a top 4 extending from the backwall over a portion of the merchandise bin to form a hood or partialcover therefor, and end walls 5. Said parts are all of any suitableconstruction, including insulated body portions 6 and ornamental trim or.cover portions I of porcelain metal or the like. The front wall 2extends slightly above the bottom 8 of the merchandise bin (which ismade up of parts hereinafter described) and preferably has a glass wallor series of panels 9 extending along its top. The corner portions IIIof the end walls the front of the cover 4 or top so as to illuminatemerchandise in the display bin.

Extending from end to end of the case and resting on supporting flangesii on the end walls 5, is a supporting strip i3 having base portions l4,an upstanding hi) [5 along its rear edge and an upstanding rib II.Extending from end to end of the case near the front thereof and restingon the support II, for the, rear strip I3, is a supporting strip i1having base flanges l8 and an upstanding central rib is of the sameheight as that Il-"of' the rear-strip l3. Mounted on the cal. flange 2|has an inwardly bent lip or bead 22. This vertical flange 2| is spacedaway from the front wall 2. of the case to form an air intake or duct"which will be hereinafter pointed out. Extending from end to end of thecase at about the middle is a supporting strip 24, similar to the frontstrip l'l, having base flanges 25 and an upstanding central rib 26 ofthe same height as those of the front and rear supporting strips. Thespaces between the ribs of the front l1, rear I! and middle supportingstrips 24 are filled by sheets 21 resting on the base flanges of saidstrips. The above described parts constitute a horizontal partitionwhich forms the bottom 8 of the merchandise bin.

Extending from front to rear of the case, at the middle thereof, isa,support 28 of inverted channel section which supports the front stripII, middle strip 24 and rear strip l3 and which has its ends resting onbrackets 29 secured to the front and rear walls, respectively.

Secured to the rear wall 3, as by screws 30 mounted in countersinks 3|,are spacer blocks 32. Secured to these spacers blocks 32, as by screws33, is a sheet or wall 34 of insulating material that extends from endto end of the case and has its lower edge resting on the rear supportingstrip l3 against the rear lip I5 thereof. Said wall 34 and the rear wall3 of the box form a flue 35 in which is disposed a refrigerating device38, preferably comprising a plurality of coils 31 extending from end toend of the case and having suitable flns 38 thereon. The top of the wall34,'that is, the outlet .of the cold air discharged from the flue 35, isabove the level of the merchandise support.

.Preferably' the merchandise support is in the form of a stepped base39, the top step 40 being below the level of the flue outlet and thebottom step4lbeingabovethebaselofthedisplar chamber. As indicated indotted lines in Fig. 8, the merchandise support may be in the form of asimple shelf "A or screen resting on the ribs of the supporting stripsi3, i1 and 24.

as the air must move upwardly through the cooling cycle, it is necessaryto create a forced chamber 46, the space between the bottom i of thecase and the bottom 8 of the display bin. The fan 42 and the motor 420therefor are mounted on a suitable frame 42b that is secured to saidpartition wall 44. The fan 42 is disposed so as to cause air to movefrom the front chamber 45 into the rear chamber 4' and thence upwardlythrough the cooling flue ll in which'is disposed the refrigeratingdevice it. A baille or deflector 41 is mounted in front of the fan 42,in the front or air intake chamber 45, said baifle 41 beins preferably asimple vertical strip having a bottom flange 48 secured to the bottom ofthe case. A rear baiile or deflector 49 is placed in the rearcompartment 46 between the fan 42 and the cooling flue 35. Said reardeflector includes a central strip 50 arranged at an angle, rearwardlybent body members Ii and reversely or forwardly rebent lower wingmembers 52 to whichare secured angle brackets 53 having bottom members54 secured to the bottom of the case.- An angle bracket 55 secured tothe central strip extends into said channel support I! and is suitablysecured to the base thereof.

As appears from the arrows, cold air discharged from, the top of theflue I5. flows downwardly over the merchandise arranged in the bin,preferably on the steps. The cold air tends to hug the merchandise andcascade down the steps after the fashion of a waterfall. 'At the frontof the case, the air now warmed by passing over the merchandise passesinto the front chamber through the intake duct 23, being drawn thereintoby the action of the constantly rotating fan 42. The air flow isequalized along the entire intake duct 23 by means of the front baiflemember 41 and after being discharged by the fan 42 into the' rearchamber 44 the air is again deflected or baflied by means of the reardeflector 49. By reason of the large size of the rear chamber, the airmoves to the flue 35 and throuh the flue rather slowly. The deflector 48and the weight of cold air cause equal distribution of air from entirelength of discharge flue 15. The

outlet of the flue is above the level of the top of the wall. 9 as wellas above the merchandise support. This permits merchandise to be dis'played above the top of the wall 9.

While the refrigerating mechanism is shown as being mounted in the flue35, it may be mounted anywhere in the system between the inlet duct 2|and the outlet of the flue I5.

The above arrangement produces a continuousoccasional interruption topermit defrosting or when the minimum desired display temperature isreached. The degree of cooling'ofthe air may be regulated to suit therequirements of the particular merchandise being displayed. The displaycase is particularly adapted for use in displaying meats and dairyproducts, but may be used with vegetables and produce.-

Obviously numerous changes may be made without departing from theinvention and we do not wish to be limited to the precise constructionshown.

What we claim is: I

1. In a refrigerated display case having a base. a top. a rear wall, afront wall and end walls. a horizontal partition extending from end toend of the case withits respective side edges spaced from said front andrear walls, a vertical partitionspaced from said rear wall, with itslower edge resting on said horizontal partition and its upper edgespaced below said top, a'refrigerating extending from end to end of saidcase and from ly acting refrigerating cycle, the cold air moving in aslow and gentle current. The refrigerating mechanism operatescontinuously, except-for an said base to said horizontal partition, afan disposed over an opening provided therefor in said lower verticalpartition and arranged to blow air therethrough to create a circulationof air upwardly through said flue and said refrigerating device. andshame disposed forwardly of said fan. a

2. In a refrigerated display case having a base, a top, a rear wall, afront wall and end walls. a horizontal partition extending from end toend of the case with its respective side edges spaced from said frontand rear walls, a vertical partition spaced from said rear wall, withits lower edge resting on said horizontal partition and its upper edgespaced below said top, a refrigerating device, a lower verticalpartition extending from end to end of said case and from said base tosaid horizontal partition, a fan disposed over an opening providedtherefor in said lower vertical partition and arranged to blow airtherethrough to create a circulation of air through said refrigcratingdevice and upwardly through the flue formed by said rear wall and saidvertical partition, and a baille disposed rearwardly of said fan.

3. In a refrigerated display case having a base,

a top, a rear wall, a front wall and end walls, a horizontal partition:extending from end to end of the case with itsrespective side edgesspaced from said front and rear walls, a vertical partitionspacedfromsaid rear wall, with its lower edge resting on said horizontalpartition and its upper edge spaced below said top, a refrigeratingdevice in the flue formed by said rear wall and said vertical partition,a lower vertical partition extending from end to end of said case andfrom said base to said horimntal'partition, a fan disposed over anopening provided therefor in said lower vertical partition and arrangedto blow air therethrough to create a circulation of air upwardly throughsaid flue and said refrigerating device, and baiiies disposed forwardlyand rearwardly of said fan, respectively.

- JOHN R. CAULK, JR.

RUSSELL E. DAVIS.

